Stigmatizing ourselves can be the biggest obstacles, in healing ourselves from the harm caused by the STIGMA imposed by those not educated on HIV and LGBTQ issues. The presentation gives a birds-eye view into my experience as a PLWA in the early days. How my life has evolved into a long-term survivor, and how anyone can heal from the STIGMA caused by ignorance. My greatest achievement is knowing that I STIGMATIZED myself by allowing incorrect, information concerning my HIV. Allowing this bad information to take up space in my head, which caused depression, addiction, and non-adherence to my medication. Through support from AIDS service organizations who took me under their wings and gave me correct information, I learned to heal.